BANANA BREAD/CAKE

I'm not good in baking and I hate baking, esp baking cakes, cookies, pies, though I'm getting better in baking various breads, but I still suck at baking cakes, even sometimes I failed in making muffin or cupcakes :) .. but once in a while I was challenged when I saw  interesting recipes and was willing to try again..

Today is a lazy Sunday, we woke up late, had a glass of fruit smoothie for breakfast then we went to the store and bought some reduced bananas, they looked so bad on the peels, but the flesh were still good, still smooth and clean.. I immediately  peeled them and stores them in bags for my frozen smoothies.. my DH suggested a fresh banana bread too, so I thought, why not, I have my favorite recipe and have tried it several times with good results.. 

Here is a Banana Bread recipe by Martha Stewart with a bit of modification by me.. oh BTW.. I love watching Martha Stewart cooking shows.. I must admit I learn a lot of cooking/baking tricks from her :)

banana + avocado + mango smoothie 

Banana Bread/Cake ( I prefer calling it cake, I think the texture is closer to cake than bread )

- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar ( I used 3/4 cup sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup sour cream ( I use plain yogurt )
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

overripe bananas

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside.

-  In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy ( I used my hand mixer)

-  Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream/yogurt, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
- Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

- NOTE: I added 1 tsp of cocoa powder and mixed it with 2 tbsp of cake batter, then added it on the middle of the batter, gently swirled with chopstick, then topped with the rest of the batter.. 

cocoa swirl in the middle